Transmission



Oct. 7, 1930. F. H. SANDHERR TRANSMI S 5 '[ON Filed March 31, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet Oct. 7, 1930. v F. H. SANDHERR 1,777,860

TRANSMI SSION Filed March 31, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 u 052-2 Z02: Ff/ Samd err.

TRANSIISS ION Filed larch 31, I926 4 Sheets-Sheet Oct. 7, 1930. v F. H. AN DHE RR v 1,777.860

TRANSMISSION Filed March 31, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fave/2Z0)": F/i Jihad/261v,

W s M i .f/Ztorzz lU-NITED STATES Patented Oct. 7, 1930 f it v f 1,777,860

FREDERICKH. sAnnHnnn, or sr; LOUISQM-ISSOURI, AssmNoR To smvnniiian;Airroario TnANsi/rrssrons, Inc-,1 or WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, EA :conronnironflor DELAWARE 1 TRANSMISSION 1 7 Application filed March 31, 19216. Serial No. 38550.

My invention relates to a power transmission; device, and, more. particularly to a planetary gear transmission, and, 1t 1s ad1stinct andpracti'cal improvement to overcome a (3611x1111.PIFLCtlCELlDlHGC GiOIIS to, and defects in the presenttypes of power transmission devvices.

r the, speed relationshetween adrivlng member and adriveii member, and eliminating all jerks, shocks, or stresses when the device is put into operation. and "also eliminatingythe shifting lever nowemployedin sliding gear transmissions.

A further'objeet of the invention is the pro 7 vision of a revoluble internal gear. case acting 'as-a driving'membert and provided with .a

planet gear mechanismand a second case act 'ing as a driven member co-acting with the internalv gear case and provided with a planet gear mechanism. 1

i A; still further object of theinvention-isthe provision of a power 'transmissionjfdevice which possesses advantageslin points ofsimplicity and efliciency, and, at the sametime proves itself comparatively inexpensive in cost of manufacture.

fVVith the above and other objects in View, th invention consists in the novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and 'tt'l1'l"et-., finally po n ed on 111 t 1e c alms le o ap m Fig. en tobalancethe p s, as is pended. r

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, wherein like characters of reference denote "similar parts throughout the several views 5 Fig. 1, is a view of the driving and driven members in sectional elevation with their associating parts shown in side elevation.

Fig. 2, is a sectional elevation of the driven membentakenon line2l2 of Fig. 1. I

Fig; is a-IongitudinaI "seamen, ewer; H i a the transmissiondevice, 1

p Flg. 4, is a sidetelevation of' one ofthe I planetary gear unitstl y i Fig; 5, is an. end. elevation thereof, looking in the direction of the arrow inFigi l.

Fig.6, is alsideelevation ofa second passe a y e ni t Fig.7,isan t in thedirection of the arrow in Fig) '6; I

' Referringlto the drawings,j,l the "reference character 1 represents a supporting shaft,

one'lend of which is supported in a suitable bearing 2 carried by the end wallfiof asuit able nternal gear 4. a. The oppositeendof end plate 5, thus the internalgear lalsol acts 65. thei'nternal gear is clo ed by means ofian as, or constitutesa case whichis to here-f ,volved by means ofa suitable driven shaft 6, such as the crankshaft of an engine, a

line shaft, or if desiredjit can be connected her, as is manifest j y 1 v Mounted torevolve upon" the. central, or

sup orting shaft 1, which-"is disposed partly wit in and partly without the internal gear to a clutch member, on other revolli'ble case 4, i s a sleeve 7, whichsleeve isprovided nearits inner end withfajsuitable plates concentrically fixed thereto and, disposed within the internal gear 4. TheplatefS, is providednponj one [sale with a: suitable ring like hearing member .9 which is fixed thereto in suitable spaced relation therewith, The

member'9-Iare equally spaced plate 8 I and ring like bearin provided with a plurality o rotatable shafts 1O andto each ofsa d shafts a suitable planet gear 11 isfixed for meshing en a m n wi h th e n g 4! T 7 equal spacing oftheplanet gears 11,as shown a "manifest; The inner end of each planet gear shaft 10is provided with aefinion car 12, eachof which gears is adapte t intermediate gears'l3 is mounted upon, a separate shaftl carriedby thelplate 8 and these intermediategears 13*are" adapted to mesh with a suitable gear 15 rotatably mount ed upon the sleeve 7 to the inner side of the I plate 8, asclearly shown in Figs.f3 and r p omes with a suitable intermediate gear 13.1 a Each ofthe The outer end of the sleeve 7 is provided with a suitable gear 16 which is fixed thereto, and which is adapted to mesh with a pair of diagonally disposed planet gears. 17 mounted upon the shafts 18 which are carried by the end walls of the casing 19.

Mounted to revolve upon the sleeve 7 is a sleeve 20, which is shorter than sleeve 7 and which is provided at its inner end with a suitable plate 21 concentrically fixed thereto and disposed Within the internal gear 1. Plate 21 is provided upon one side with a suitable ring like bearing member 22 which is fixed thereto in suitable spaced relation therewith. ing member 22 are provided with a plurality of equally spaced rotatable shafts 23 and to each of said shafts a suitable planet gear 24 is fixed for meshing engagement with the internal gear 1. The equal spacing of'the planet gears 24, as shown in Fig. 7, tends to balance the plate 21, the sameas the planet gears 11 tend to balance the plate 8. The planet gears 24 are of the same diameter as the planet gears 11 and are spaced the'same distance apart as the planet gears 11.- The inner end of each planet gear shaft 28 is provided with a suitable fixed gear 25, each of which gears 25 mesh with the gear 15 which is rotatably mounted upon the sleeve 7, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The outer end of the sleeve 20 is provided with a gear 26 which is fixed thereto and which is adapted to mesh with a pair of diagonally disposed planet gears 27 mounted upon the shafts 28 carried by the end walls of the casing 19, and. which planet gears are in mesh with the planet gears 1.? disposed within the casing 19.

The driven planetary gear casing 19 is provided with means 29 to which is suitably connected a driven shaft 30, such as connecting the present gear shaft transmission with the differential gearing of a motor vehicle, or any other type of driven shaft. It is here evident that the casing 19 could. act, if desired, as a belt pulley, or could be applied to a pulley, or it could be provided with agear for meshingwith another gear.

Theoperation ofthe device is as follows:

The internal gear 1 being fixed to a suitable driven member, such as 6, or its equiva lent, and rotatable therewith, it is evident that it must revolve at the same speed as the driven member. The rotation of the internal gear t sets up a rotary motion to the plates 8 and 21 through the medium of the planet gears 11 and24, respectively, and due to the intermediate gear connection of the plates 8 and 21 with the loosely mounted gear 15 of sleeve 7, one of the plates is caused to revolve in one direction, while the other plate is caused to revolve in the opposite direction. One of the plates revolves slower than the other, due to the gear connections here- The plate 21 and ring like bear-' inbefore described. It is evident, however, that one of the plates revolves in the same direction as. the internal gear 1, with the internal gear running, however, in advance of said plate, while the other plate revolves in the opposite direction of the internal gear 1.

In operation:

When internal gear 1 is rotated, there is an effort to revolve gears 11 and 2 1. Atttached to and turning with gears 11 are pinions 12, meshing with idler pinions 13, which in their turn mesh with idler gear 15. The turning effort on idler gear 15 from gears 11 is therefore in the same direction as the direction of rotation of gears 11 themselves. Attached to and turning with gears 24: are pinions 25, which mesh directly with idler gear 15. The turningeiiort of idler gear 15 from gear 2a is therefore in a direction opposite to the direc tion of gears 24. Pinions 12 are of smaller diameter than pinions 25. Hence there is a greater tooth pressure exerted by pinion teeth 12 than by pinion teeth 25 as transmitted from internal gear 1.

Gears 11 and pinions 12 are mounted on shaft rigidly attached to plate 8 of sleeve 7, on the end of which is rigidly mounted gear 16. Similarly, gears 24 and pinion 25 are mounted on plate 21 of sleeve 20, on the end of which is rigidly mounted gear 26. Gears 16 2.116126 mesh with pinions 17 and 27 respectively, these pinions meshing with one another and revolving on shaft 28 rigidly attached to case 19, to which is rigidly attached the driven member. The load to be overcome through the driven member is therefore transmittedthrough shaft 28, through pinions 17 and 7, through gears 16 and through sleeves Z and 20 and disks 8 and 21, through gears 11 and 2 1-, to internal gear 1. Were no resistance exerted on disks 8 and 21, due. to greater tooth pressure transmitted from pinions 13 to idler gear 15, disk 8 would remain stationary and idl gear 15 as well as disk rotate at a speed proportionate to the ratio of the train of gears and in the same direction of rotation as that of internal gear 1-. With sleeve20 revolves gear 26, driving pin ions 27 which in turn drive pinions 1"? meshin with gear 16 on sleeve '7. The entire driving force would therefore be transmitted to pinions 1? and 27. However, due to the load resistance on driven member, the driven torque transmittedthrough shaft and pinions 1? and 27 to both disks 8 and 21 through gears 16 and 26 and sleeves T and 20 resl'iectively. The driving torque as transmitted to gear 26 is therefore counteracted by the driven torque against pinions 2?. If this driven torque ix: larger than the driving torque, the difijcrenco in torque will then tran mit itself to gear 16 through pinion 17, causing disk 8 to re=.*olve in an opposite direction. is the two torques equalize, both disks 8 and 2-1 gradually sl w down in their respective speeds and finally begreaterthe difference betweendriving and i 'of a shifting lever, suchas employed with the i presenttype Of automobiletransmission,

come stationaryin relation tointernalgear 4 and revolve as unitswith gear 4. Thus the,

driven member turns with the speed of the driving'member and a direct drive is efiected. If at anytime, the driven torque becomes too great for the drivingtorque, thetooth pres sure between pinions 17 and gear lfibecome greaterjthan those between pinions 27 andgear 26,-and d sks 8 and 21com1nence to r tate inside of the internal gear case, the former in tho same direction as the internal gear,

the latter in-the opposite direction; The

in speedsbetween gears 11 and 24.

It 1s evident that-a1transmission,-such as heremdescribed jw'1ll-el11n1nate the, necessity driven torque, the greater is the differential that the/power applied to the drivenmember is, progressive anddependent upon thespee'd of the ldrlvlngf member, thus ellml-natlng I ,7 jerks, the danger ofstripping gears, and will providea variable speed control device which 7. is wholly automatic as to'speed regulation of the drivenmember and which is equivalent to l the results that hydraulic transmissions are designed to attain;

, The many advantages of the herein de-' l l 30 scribed invention will readily suggest them- I selves toythose skilled in the art to which it appertai'ns, a, a

I do not wish'to be understood as having limited myseli' to the exact details of construction shown and described, but desire to have it understood that the invention I have shown is merely illustrative, asit is manifest that varlous minor changes may, be made 1n V tions as may fairly fallwithin the scope of the appended. claims when 5.

I ing planet gears carried withii'i said hollow the exactflconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, hence I reserve the right to make any such changes, or mod ficafairly' construed. What I claim is; f p l 1; Avariable speed transmission comprising a revolubleinternal gear, a pair of rev oluble internal )lates olanetm ears snoported by said plates and connecting the plates withthe internal gear, a single loosely mounted gear disposed within the internal gear, gears connecting the planet gears with said loosely mounted gear to revolve the plates inv opposite directions, a sleeve extending from each plate, a gear fixed toeaoh plate, a hollow driven element and intermeshdriven element and meshing with the gears fixed to said sleeves. r

y 2. A geartransmlssion comprising a central shaft, a sleeve mounted on said share,

a sleeve mounted on said sleeve, a gear loosely mounted on sand first mentioned sleeve, a

plate fixed to eachsleeve, a revoluble internal gear enclosing said plates, a plurality 551k planetary necting aidriving member witha r driven;

of spindles .revolubly supported -by each:

plate, a planet gear fixedto each spindle and meshing? withthe internal gear, a gear fixed to each spindle supported: by -.one of the plates, gear connections between each:

spindle and said loosely; mounted gear for revolving thefplates in opposite di;

rection upon rotation of the internal gears g a gear fixed to each. sleeve, a driven casing,

a pair ofplanet gears revolubly supported Within the casing meshing with the gear fixedto the first mentioned sleeve and a pair of planet gears revolublysupported within the casing meshingwith the. first mentioned planet, gears within'th'e casing and also in mesh with the; gear fixedito the sleeve mount ed upon the aforesaid first mentioned sleeve.

3. Inagear transmission structure, a pair of hollow-shafts one mounted upon theother, aplatelfiaedto each hollowshaft in spaced relation, a gear loosely mounteduponone' of the hollow shafts anddisposed between theplates, a driven internal gear enclosing said plateaa plurality of. planet gears revs;

olubly supportedfxby each plate a meshing with the internal gear and geariconnectio'ns with theloosely mounted gear for revolving the plates in opposite directions 1 1' t. In a gear transmission"structure,

the plates, a drivenlnternal gearsenclosing said plates, a plurality of planet gears revolubly supported by each plate meshing with the internal gear and gear connections withthe tloosely mounted gear for revolving the plates in oppositedirections, a gear fixed to each hollow shaft, a casing housing said gears and? planet gears revolubly supported within: thepasing' meshing with the gears fixed tokthe hollow shafts andiwwith each other. '1-

i a geartransmission for con member withouttlie use are shifting lever consistingotal driven internal gear, a pairof hollow. shafts, one mounted upon the other, a gear loosely mounted upon one of said shafts, aco mpensating gear; arrange V ment connecting-each ShaftWlth the lnternal gear and with the loosely :mounted gear, said shafts being revoluble in opposite directions and a compensating gear arrangement carried partly bythe driven member and by the hollow shafts. i i

6. In a" transmissionstructure, adriving.

member having i-nternal gear teeth, aplanetary gear unit revolved by said driving member,'a second planetary gearunit revolved by said-driving member in the opposite direction to that of the first mentionedplanetary gear unit,-a-loosely mounted gear hav-- ing connection WltllbOth planetary gear mounted upon said sleeve, a pair of meshing gears connecting each planet gear with toe loosely mounted gear, a sleeve mounted upon said first mentioned sleeve, a plate fixed to said sleeve, a plurality of planet gears revolubly supported by said second plate, a meshing gear connecting each planet gear of said second plate with the loosely .nounted gear, the planet gears of each plate being revolved by the internal gear so as to revolve the plates in opposite directions, a driven member, two pairs of diagonally arranged planet gears revolubly supported within the driven member, and a gear fixed to each sleeve and each in mesh with a pair of said planet gears. V

8. A gearing arrangement for transmissions. comprising a driving member in the form of an internal gear a series of gears revoluble in an orbital path within the internal gear certain of which gears mesh with the internal gear, carrier members for said gears, telescoped tubular shafts for supporting said carrier members, a final driven member including a plurality of gears and acarrier member therefor, a gear fixed to each tubular shaft meshing with the gears of the final driven member and a gear loosely mounted upon one of the tubular shafts and meshing with certain of the series of gears supported bythe carrier members which do not mesh with the internal gear.

9. In a power transmission structure, a front differential unit, a rear differential unit, said front differential unit including an internal gear, a carrier including a-sleeve, a plurality of gears rotatably supported by the carrier adapted to mesh with the internal gear, a gear loosely motmted on said sleeve, a train of gears connecting said loosely mounted gear with the first mentioned gears, a second carrier including a sleeve mounted upon said first mentioned sleeve, a plurality of gears rotatably supported by the second carrier adapted to mesh with the internal gear and aplurality of gears connecting said last mentioned gears and meshing with said loosely mounted gear and said rear difierential unit including two pair of opposed gears, means rotatably supporting said gears and agear fixed to each sleeve and each gear in mesh with one pair of said two pair of opposed gears.

10. In a transmission structure, an internal gear adapted to be connected to a suitable source of power, a carrier, a sleeve connected centrally of said carrier and directed therefrom, a plurality of gears revolubly supported by said carrier adapted to mesh with the internal gear, a plurality of carrier gears revoluble with said first mentioned gears, a gear loosely mounted upon said sleeve, a plurality of idler gears meshing with said carrier gears and with said loosely mounted gear, a second carrier, a sleeve connected centrally of said carrier and mounted upon the sleeve of the first mentioned carrier, a plurality of gears revolubly supported by the second carrier adapted to mesh with the internal gear, a plurality of carrier gears revoluble with said last mentioned gears and in mesh with said loosely mounted gear and a rear differential unitedly connected with said sleeves.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

FREDERICK I-I. SANDHERR. 

